Plans to bring a casino to New Hampshire have been killed off for another year by the StateÂ's lawmakers. Last Wednesday, the State House elected not bring the bill to a full vote by 199 to 164. This came in the wake of a committeeÂ's recommendation that the measure should not pass. It is now unlikely to be considered again this year.
US news agency CBS reported that the governor said: Â"It is disappointing to see the House of Representatives break from the New Hampshire tradition of open and thorough debateÂ… Without passing SB 152, the path will be more difficult, but the people of New Hampshire expect us to do difficult things.Â"
In reality the bill did not have a very good chance of being passed in the first place, yet the decision will still come as a blow for the gambling lobby. Opponents of the casino development say that if the bill was passed the number of casinos built would never be restricted to just this one and fear the impact of numerous brick-and mortar establishments on local society.